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The official PlayStation Blog for news and video updates on PS3, PS4, PSN, PS Vita, PSPTue, 31 Mar 2015 21:05:17 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.1Take a High-Level Look at Splinter Cell Blacklisthttp://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/08/09/new-splinter-cell-blacklist-trailer-gives-a-high-level-look-at-the-game/
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/08/09/new-splinter-cell-blacklist-trailer-gives-a-high-level-look-at-the-game/#commentsFri, 09 Aug 2013 16:13:41 +0000http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=112175Splinter Cell Blacklist will be launching in just over a week!
We understand that more eyes are on us now than ever before – but that doesn’t mean they’ve seen everything we’ve already put out there.]]>Even though it’s been such a long road to where we’re at right now, it’s still hard to believe that Splinter Cell Blacklist will be launching in just over a week!

We understand that more eyes are on us now than ever before – but that doesn’t mean they’ve seen everything we’ve already put out there.

This video is a solid wrapper, giving you a high-level look at the entire scope of the game: the extensive Single-player campaign, the 14 unique CO-OP missions, and Spies vs. Mercs.

As you can see in the video above, we’ve got three very distinct playstyles in Splinter Cell Blacklist. The Ghost is someone who likes to get in and out of a mission, leaving absolutely no trace of their presence. You can either avoid contact with the enemy altogether (undisturbed hostiles give you the greatest challenge and reward), or knock them out. There are plenty of gadgets tailor-made for Ghosts; the proximity shocker is one of my favorites, especially when I feel like messing around with the AI. I’ll lay down mines, fire off a sticky cam for reconnaissance and/or distraction (you can play sounds from the sticky cam to serve as a decoy), and then lure the baddies into my playground.

There’s something completely satisfying about knocking out a terrorist, leaving his body out in the open, then watching one of his buddies take notice and race over to investigate… only to get zapped. I’ll clean up my mess after that, and hide those guys in the comfort of the darkness.

The Ghost is always non-lethal, though. That’s imperative to the playstyle. If you want to use your karambit (the Indonesian knife that Sam uses in Blacklist), you’re trudging into Panther territory.

Panthers remain hidden as well, but strike with lethal force from the shadows. The close-quarter kills are impressively quick and quiet. There’s also plenty of weaponry that either comes with built-in silencers or which can be equipped through the robust customization system. The Five-seveN isn’t your default handgun anymore, but earning cash to get it (or, dare I say, even better guns) is plenty of fun. In all, we’ve got nearly 40 weapons – each individually tuned – that feel distinctly different. As long as you’ve got a silencer, and you take guys out without being detected, you’re playing as a Panther.

Assault is a different beast altogether.

If you are detected and start eliminating threats – with or without a silencer – you’ll be earning cash under the Assault playstyle. You can obviously opt into it, by going loud from the get-go, but be warned: that this will not be easy. You’ve got to accept the consequences of alerting the enemies to your whereabouts and risk getting taken out quickly. Make sure you fire first, or have your explosions be bigger than theirs. Proximity mines, grenades of various flavours, and high-calibre weaponry will be your best friends, along with your “Last Known Position.” This is the best way to get a beat on the opposition if you’re out-numbered. Your LKP pops up as a ghostly silhouette and resides where the enemy last saw you. You can use this to your advantage by being quick, using cover, and repositioning yourself to get a strategic angle on your threat.

Ideally, your survival and success will be more probable with a hefty dose of tactics, but if you just want to let off some steam… this is a solid option for you.

There’s still a lot we’re not disclosing – we want to save some surprises for you! But keep in mind, there are many ways to play Splinter Cell Blacklist. Ghost, Panther, or Assault… you can basically make your own version of Sam Fisher, equip him however you like, and have fun.

You’ll be rewarded no matter how you play, but you’ll always do better mastering one of them (even if you switch it up in different missions).

What playstyle are you hoping to master?

]]>http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/07/24/splinter-cell-blacklist-three-ways-to-play-detailed/feed/20http://blog.us.playstation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/splinter-cell.jpg3.08Community Developer, Splinter Cell200Splinter Cell Blacklist CO-OP: 2 of 4 Mission Types Revealedhttp://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/05/23/splinter-cell-blacklist-co-op-2-of-4-mission-types-revealed/
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/05/23/splinter-cell-blacklist-co-op-2-of-4-mission-types-revealed/#commentsThu, 23 May 2013 16:30:58 +0000http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=106980Spies vs. Mercs reveal trailer, and just a few days ago, the CO-OP trailer. What we bring to you today is a fresh look into the CO-OP experience. This time we're really going all out!]]>

For those who missed the last couple of posts I did here, my name is Zack Cooper. I’m the Splinter Cell Community Developer (ComDev).

What we bring to you today is a fresh look into the CO-OP experience. This time we’re really going all out!

Ubisoft Shanghai is doing the maps, and we are incredibly proud of what they’ve been putting together. As you may know, they’ve got a rich history in the Splinter Cell franchise, having led the charge on Pandora Tomorrow and the current-gen version of Double Agent.

Here at Ubisoft Toronto, we’re tasked with making sure everything fits appropriately into the grand package of Splinter Cell Blacklist. Not only are there 14 unique missions… there’s a ton of variety contained within those missions.

There are four different mission types — two of which we’re talking about today. They’re given to you by the different characters on the Paladin (Sam’s mobile command center that houses 4th Echelon).

The Isaac Briggs missions are the CO-OP campaign missions, in that they’ve got their own storyline which is tied into the core Blacklist narrative. Those missions have to be played with a partner (split-screen or online). Briggs has tactical expertise, being former Army and CIA, and isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty should the situation call for it. His missions have all sorts of exotic sequences, and play to the three playstyles (Ghost, Panther, Assault).

The Grim (Anna Grimsdottir) missions are great for the hardcore: the Ghosts. She’s focused on intel and analytics, chasing leads for valuable data. She wants you to get in and out, and to complete the objective without leaving a trace. The missions Grim provides need to be completed without detection – if you’re spotted, you start from the beginning.

We’ll be providing more details about Single Player, Spies vs. Mercs, AND CO-OP as we get closer to the August 20th launch date… but in the meantime, I hope you enjoy this brand new ComDev video.

I’ll be sticking around for the rest of the hour to do another Q&A… so let me know what’s on your mind!

It feels so good to be back on PlayStation.Blog! Whether you got a chance to check out our Spies vs. Mercs trailer or not, we’re bringing some deeper insight (and a live Q&A to follow) into what we’re working with in Splinter Cell Blacklist’s multiplayer experience.

First off, if you’re not familiar with Spies vs. Mercs, I will say one thing: It is an experience like no other. Either you’re playing as a Spy in third-person perspective, trying to remain undetected and hack terminals while being quick, agile, and deadly in shadows; or you’re the Merc, in first-person perspective, a brute force with unmatched weaponry who’s trying to defend the data from the infiltrators.

One of the cool aspects of Spies vs. Mercs in Blacklist is that you will be playing both sides before a game is done. There’s a very applicable quote from “The Art of War” (by Sun Tzu) that I like to use: “Know thyself; know thy enemy.”

By that, I mean that you can’t truly master the Spy until you fully understand how to eliminate one. The same thing goes for playing as (and neutralizing) the Merc. A game of Spies vs. Mercs isn’t done until you play as both classes — which also helps prevent the ‘rage quit’ (added bonus!).

Two VERY different games, played in VERY different ways. ‘Classic’ is a mode that was designed specifically for our fans. Gunther Galipot was the creator of the original concept of Spies vs. Mercs from Pandora Tomorrow. He’s returned for Blacklist as a Game Director, and he’s bringing his baby back just like it was in PT and Chaos Theory.

It’s 2v2… and very much an intense game of ‘cat and mouse’ meets ‘hide and seek,’ in which you and your partner need to be in constant communication to outsmart your opponent(s). Spies have no lethal weapons, and rely on vertical navigation, shadows, night vision goggles, and smarts. The Mercs have heavy weaponry, a flashlight to track the Spies, their own set of tools, and force… but also need to play intelligently, themselves.

What you can’t see is your greatest threat.

It’s also worth mentioning that the maps played in Classic are lit differently, to further push the core elements of light and shadow.

Spies vs. Mercs ‘Blacklist’ is a new and refreshing take on the original Splinter Cell multiplayer experience. It supports a maximum of eight players (4v4) and, while many core principals return, there’s an incredible amount of customization that comes into play.

It’s really all about creating your own playstyle. You can do so by configuring loadouts with different weapons, gadgets, vision modes, and armor parts with both active and passive abilities – which are specific to each of the sides.

Spies now have access to lethal weapons and gadgets – adding an entirely new dynamic to Spies vs. Mercs. Despite the uptick in speed and pacing, strategy and teamwork remain at the heart of the gameplay.

There’s SO much to obviously talk about with Spies vs. Mercs (both Classic and Blacklist), and there’s still more to reveal down the line…

…but for now, what’s on your mind? I’ll be here for an hour to take your questions.
HIT ME UP, PLAYSTATION.BLOG!

]]>http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/05/07/splinter-cell-blacklist-spies-vs-mercs-detailed/feed/87http://blog.us.playstation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/splinter-cell.jpg3.06Community Developer, Splinter Cell8742Splinter Cell Blacklist Trailer Emerges From the Shadowshttp://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/04/23/splinter-cell-blacklist-trailer-emerges-from-the-shadows/
http://blog.us.playstation.com/2013/04/23/splinter-cell-blacklist-trailer-emerges-from-the-shadows/#commentsTue, 23 Apr 2013 17:30:30 +0000http://blog.us.playstation.com/?p=104707Blacklist, which we’re calling “Stalk. Strike. Silence.” If you’re a Splinter Cell fan, you know that there’s a rich history to the franchise. The idea behind Blacklist is to embrace those roots by bringing back most of the core elements and merging them with the advanced gameplay and graphical evolution of the more recent Splinter Cell games.
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I’m stoked to speak with you guys about our latest trailer for Blacklist, which we’re calling “Stalk. Strike. Silence.” If you’re a Splinter Cell fan, you know that there’s a rich history to the franchise. The idea behind Blacklist is to embrace those roots by bringing back most of the core elements and merging them with the advanced gameplay and graphical evolution of the more recent Splinter Cell games.

We’re also bringing back that sweet, dark, geopolitical drama that Tom Clancy fans are familiar with. In Splinter Cell Blacklist, the high-level storyline centers on a group of rogue nations coming together to create an ultimatum; they’ve had enough of the American occupancy on their land. This collective institutes a countdown, warning the United States to back off… or else.

That ‘or else’ involves specific threats to American interests. That’s where Sam Fisher, now the leader of his newly formed Fourth Echelon unit, their mobile command center, the Paladin, and the classic Splinter Cell globetrotting come into play.

Looking at this trailer in particular, we wanted to re-establish Sam for both our existing fans and those who may not be as familiar with the character. You may already know that the core objective for a Splinter Cell is to get in, handle business, get out and leave no trace of their presence.

The way of ‘the ghost’ is still very much still a part of Blacklist; that tense, no-contact, no-detection way to play. But there’s also something incredibly satisfying about getting your hands dirty as well. Splinter Cell fans can attest to the first key element of this trailer, and likely, correlate that to why they responded so well to the classic games in the first place. There is really nothing quite like the ‘Stalk.’ Seeing your target… and planning how you want to deal with it.

Sometimes you want to be quick and efficient; other times you drag it out a little more, just for the thrill of it. Do you bring the fear to their doorstep by letting them know you’re there, or do you put them down, without them having any knowledge of your presence or what happened?

The ‘strike’ is that execution phase. Lethally or non-lethally, Sam Fisher is a deadly weapon. He’s got all the tools to do what needs to be done, often before the enemy even knows what hit them. The ‘silence’ is the soothing hush as the dust settles with your threat now in the past tense – one way or another. That is the sound of Sam Fisher.

We hope you liked the trailer… and with that being said… I’m happy to stick around to chat for a bit. Hit me up with any questions you may have in the comments below, and I’ll answer what I can!